Preservice teachers need opportunities in teacher education courses to explore arts-based interdisciplinary learning that can inspire connections between communities of practice and allow learners to integrate concepts and imagine creative possibilities. This study reports on preservice teachers engaged in a workshop on arts-based interdisciplinary music and mathematics tasks. Data included surveys, task-related artifacts, and participant observations to examine how preservice teachers conceptualize and engage in such tasks. Three resonating themes were identified, revealing that preservice teachers generally thought (a) music and mathematics are more engaging and relatable in interdisciplinary contexts than when taught alone, (b) interdisciplinary music and mathematics tasks can and should be adapted to the needs of all learners, and (c) some uncertainties and concerns about implementing such tasks still exist. Based on these findings, suggestions are made for purposeful ways teacher education can engage preservice teachers in arts-based interdisciplinary music and mathematics tasks that can prepare them to create equitable and creative interdisciplinary learning opportunities for their students.

Mathematics anxiety is a reality for many students as a number of community college and four-year university students feel disconnected from math and struggle to pass mathematics courses. Using a case study and grounded theory approach, six remedial mathematics instructors were interviewed and observed to examine their instructional strategies and practices. During the interviews, participants expounded upon the changes in strategies and practices implemented when aiding students struggling with anxiety. The Instructional Triangle was applied across participants to compare and contrast their experiences. The analysis focused on environmental factors that could increase or exacerbate mathematics anxiety. In particular, a theme of creating connections emerged from how teachers assess for and adjust their strategies and practices to support remedial mathematics students struggling with anxiety. Based on the findings, interventions for assisting educators and students in mediating anxiety promoting perspective-taking and empathy are recommended. Such intervention could inform future strategy and practice development, implementation, and evaluation.

The following autoethnography was completed by two graduate students at University A learning to enact teaching for social justice while building content underpinnings in statistics at University B. The authors present a research base for teaching for social justice followed by a description of their lesson, observations during enactment, and reflection of change in beliefs about teaching for social justice afterward. Findings in this study are shared from the authors’ personal perspectives through the enactment of teaching a lesson for social justice in an undergraduate statistics course at University B. Implications provide encouragement that the inclusion of social justice topics in undergraduate and graduate level teacher educator coursework may improve teacher attention to equity in practice.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency with which students use math word problem strategies during and after schema-based instruction. It examines the extent to which students increase their ability to correctly solve word problems. It compares students’ attitudes toward mathematics problem solving before and after schema-based instruction. The study was conducted in a resource class with seven second-grade students on individualized education programs (IEPs). A single-subject research design was used. The schema-based instruction was implemented by the special education teacher in a small group setting. Students showed an increase in attempted and correct strategy use during instruction. Three students increased their attempts of strategy use from pretest to posttest, but only one student used the strategy correctly on all attempts. The mean problem-solving accuracy increased from 22 percent to 34 percent from pretest to posttest. Students showed minimal change in their attitude toward math word problems.

Twenty-nine early childhood preservice teachers (PSTs) participated in an Interview Project. The project’s goals were for the PSTs to apply their knowledge of research on children’s mathematics in their interactions with a child and to learn to listen to and learn from children. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the project and determine whether it met these goals. Pre and post data were collected, and I found that the PSTs showed a significant improvement in their ability to describe and analyze a child’s mathematics and to use their listening to make appropriate instructional decisions. In addition, I found that the PSTs were rethinking their definitions of teaching and learning mathematics.

Reference MS#1124 The case study intends to study edTPA as a measure for teacher readiness. The case study examined four first year teachers’ edTPA experience, performance, and their perspectives on edTPA as a tool to measure teacher readiness in light of their first year teaching experiences and TKES assessment results. Three research questions were used to guide the study: What were first year teachers’ edTPA experience and performance? What were first year teachers’ TKES assessment results? What were first year teachers’ perspectives on edTPA as a tool to measure teacher readiness? Four first year teachers in north GA participated in the study. These participants passed edTPA assessment prior to employment as full time teachers. The participants were interviewed individually. Six interview questions were used. Interviews were structured for about 45 min each. Data were recorded, transcribed, and coded for analysis to see trends, patterns, and themes. The results of the study indicated that edTPA did not measure all aspects of teacher readiness. Factors such as diversity, relationship building, collaboration were valued by participants as important for teacher readiness in the classroom. edTPA as an effectiveness tool to measure teacher readiness was uncertain. Discussion and future implications of the research results on edTPA to teacher preparation, teacher quality, and policy making were offered.

This study investigates the relation between review spacing and question format on student retention. Participants in an 8th grade Georgia Studies class reviewed previously learned material either in one sitting (massed review) or in multiple sessions (spaced review). Following the review, each participant answered questions either in multiple choice or short answer format. Subsequent to answering the questions, all students received feedback. One week following the completion of the reviews, students were given a post test. One month after the post test, students were given a final test. Pre-, post- and final tests were identical and no treatment occurred between the posttest and the final test. Correlational analyses of review spacing and question format suggest that spaced review is positively related to success on the posttest. There was no such finding related to massed review or question format on the posttest. Additionally, neither review spacing or question format had any correlational effect on the final test. Results suggest that spaced review is beneficial, but that the benefit is lost over time.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which preservice elementary teachers integrated culturally responsive pedagogy into their perspectives on effective teaching and being an effective teacher and if these perspectives changed over time. Data were collected from 53 preservice teachers in the form of a perspective paper written in two consecutive semesters at the end of field experience courses. Data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Findings indicated that preservice teacher integrated issues of cultural and linguistic diversity into their perspectives minimally. Linguistic diversity was more integrated than cultural diversity. Their perspectives included less integration of cultural and linguistic diversity over time.

The goal of this study was to explore the relationship between students’ perceptions of the link between personal effort and academic performance to promote effective pedagogy, contributing to the potential for increased retention/progression/graduation rates. Based on Treisman’s (2013) assertion that students do not connect hard work with success, the researchers hypothesized that students would fail to connect the level of effort (as measured by motivation, effort, attendance, attention/engagement, and reading the textbook) they invested in a course with performance in the course (as measured by expected course grade). A mixed-methods survey containing both quantitative and qualitative measures of effort was administered before and after the first graded course assignment in each class. Results supported our hypotheses, but not exactly as expected. Students connected hard work with success in the first administration of the survey; however, the link between personal effort and academic performance disappeared in the second administration of the survey. Qualitative findings were explored to further illuminate students’ phenomenological experiences in the classroom.

Relative enrollment in online classes has tripled over the last ten years, but the efficacy of learning online remains unclear. While two recent Meta analyses report higher exam grades for online vs. traditional classes, this body of research has been marked by two recurrent limitations: (1) a possible problem of selection bias wherein students self select the mode of course delivery and (2) a relative lack of proctoring of exams in online sections. Both of these confounders contribute to observed differences in performance. The present study addresses these limitations. Data refer to 64 students enrolled in criminology classes at a Carnegie research extensive university. Due to an administrative error in the course schedule, which failed to list one section as online, students were unable to self select into the online section, creating a rare opportunity for quasi randomization of students into sections. Both sections were taught by the same instructor. The dependent variable is the score on the standardized final examination. All exams were proctored by the instructor. The central independent variable is method of delivery of content: online vs. the traditional classroom. Controlling for other constructs, there was no significant difference between exam scores. Also, student evaluations did not differ between sections. Controlling for selection effects and the proctoring of exams, the academic performance of online students was the same as that of traditional students. Future work is needed for other courses, other fields, and other types of academic institutions.